Driving mechanism



Nqv. 22, 1927.

R. L. LEE

DRIVING MECHANISM Fiied Aug. 28, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 22, 1927.

R. L. LEE

DRIVING MECHANISM 2 Shee s-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 28, 1924 Patented Nov. 22, 1927.

I UNITED STATES T ENTr \QFZFICIE'.

RALPH L. LEE, or DAYTON, 1110, ASSIGNOVR TO DELCO-LIGHT: COMPANY, OF DAYTON,

one, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

DRIVING MEcHANIsM Application fil ed August 28, 193. Serial N 734,785.

The present invention relates to a power operated driving mechanism for a work machine and particularly to the'driving mechanism for the washing and the wringer apparatuses. j I

One of the objects of the present invention is to reduce the cost and facilitate the manufacture and. repair of a work machine by providing a driving mechanism which can be readily assembled or can 'be readily disassembled for the inspection and repair thereof; i Y r t The laundry machine to which the present invention is applicable is of that type in which separate driving mechanism and motors are used forthe washing apparatus and the wringing apparatus.

Another object of the invention is to provide aflaundry machine of the present type in which portions of the driving mechanism for the washing apparatus and wringing apparatus are interchangeable, thus reducing the cost and facilitating the manufacture I V v r V j Ahollow bracket-5 0 of wringing apparatus ectis to lsolate the elec' from water and v thereof. 2

A still further obj trical circuits for the motors lubricant.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will beapparent from the following description, reference being had' to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred form of the present inv'ention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig/1 is perspective View of a driving unit for the wringing apparatus;

2 is an end view of a bracket adapted to support the wringer' apparatus and the driving unit shown in Fig. 1'; i

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a driving unit for the washingapparatus;

Fig. t is a. fragmentary end viewof a support for the washing apparatus driving unit which isadapted to receive a pin 66 secured v to one ofthewringer rolls. Movement of and the washing apparatus;

5 is a fragmentary sectional v ewof the driving mechanism for the wringer, this section being taken on line 5-5 and 5'5' of Fig. 6;

Fig. 6 is fragmentary sectional view taken on line 66 of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view partly in section and partly in elevation of thedriving mechanism for the washing apparatus. Referring to the drawings the apparatus herein shown is particularly applicable to that type f-Iaundry'machine in which indi-' vidualpower, drivingunits 24 and 25 are provided'for a washing apparatus 22 and a wringing apparatus 23 respectively. One form of such laundry machine is "shown in my copen'ding application, Serial No. 629,-

201, file'd March-31 1923. These driving vunits are each provided with a reversible motor for causing the'oscillati'on of the washing'apparatus and for reversing the direction of rotation of the wringer rollers;

I Referring more. articularly to the drawings, a supporting rame includes side frames one of whichisshown at '26. The u per ends of side frames 26 are aperture to receive trunnions 32 which pivotally'carry a tub 35. A sector 40 is pivotally mounted,

upon a trunnion 32-and is disposed between the side frame 26 and the tub 35 and is connected for driving the tub preferably through. a leaf spring (not shown). The sector is driven by "the driving unit 24, to be described.

23 is rotatably' nountedon the laundry ma tachably secured to one side of the bracket byfbolts '52. The'wringingdevice- 51 is provided with'wringer rolls, the shafts of whichearry cooperating gears 55 and 56 respectively'. The bracket 50 forms a gear housing 58 andsiip ortsthereina gear 59, the axis of which is'located'in alinement with one. of thewringer roll ,shafts. The side of the gear 59 facing the wr'inger roll is provided with notches 60 which are adapted tofreceive the ears 61 of a'u'niver'sal joint coupling 62. Coupling 62 also includes ears 63 and 64 extendingin the opposite direction from that of ears 61. The ears 64 are formed by splitting the walls of the cars 63 and thenwbending vthe earportions 64 outwardly; -.In this manner a slot 65 is formed,

the gear-59 will cause motion to be transmitted through the coupling 62 to the wringer rolls.

I 69. The wringer driving unit 25 is detachably mountedupon the bracket 50 and adj acentthe compartment .,.68 by bolts. 70. The

drivingiunit 25 includes a gear housing 71, the upper end of which mergesfinto an end chine. A clothes wringing device 51 is d'eremoval of bolts 70, which extend through wall 79 of the gear housing 71. -Shaft77 extends through wall 79 and within the compartment 68 of the bracket 50. The extending end of shaft 77 carries a-gear 80 which drives the gear 59. The opening 81 in the wall of the compartment 68 through which the shaft 79 extends is of sufiicient size to permit the insertion of gear 80 therethrough.

It will be apparent, therefore, that by the the wall 79 of the transmission housing 71, the driving unit 25 can be removed with all theparts thereof intact. The removal of bolts 52 will permitthe detaching of the wringer 51 from the bracket 50, the pin 66 being adapted to slide out of the slot 65 in the coupling 62.

In order to prevent lubricant from passing from the gear housing 58 into the wringer 51, and also in order to prevent water from passing from thewringer 51 into the gear housing 58,- a plate 83is interposed between the wringer 51 and the gear housing 58. An opening 84L is formed within the plate 88, adjacent the pin 66 of the extending wringer roll shaft. The opening 84 is of sufficient diameter to permitthewithdrawal of the in '66 therethrough. A baffle .85 iscarried by thedriving roll shaft and adjacent the opening .841 which prevents water from splashing through said opening. 1

The driving unit 241 for thewashing appara tns22, includesa gear housing similar to the gear housing 71of the wringer unit 25.

I-The construction and arrangement of the side frames 26 is such that 1t 1s necessary.

; only to insert a spacing member or adapter 86 betweenthe wall 79 of the housing 71 and Y the frame 26, in order .to mount same upon the frame 26. The spacing element 86 is provided with a flange 87 adapted tolreceive bolts 87 by which said spacing element 86 is secured to the frame 26. The housing 71 is secured to the spacing element 86 by bolts which are secured to said spacer86 and the vwall 79. The mechanism within the housing 71 of unit 24 is substantially the same as that within the housing 71 of unit 25, except that in the unit 241 ashaft-HSS is substituted for shaft 77. of unit 25. Shaft 88 is somewhat longer than the shaft 77 due .to'the fact that said shaft must extend through the spacer 86. Theend of shaft 88 carries a gear 89which drives the'segment 4L0'of the washing apparatus 22. It will be noted that the opening .90 within the side-frame 26 is large enough to receive'thegear 89, whereby the gear; may be withdrawn or inserted therethroug'h. I

The tub is removable from the supporting frame without disturbing the sector as is clearly shown and described in the previously mentioned. copending application.

Since the housings 71 are the same for both thewashing machine driving unit and the .wringer driving unit, and by the provision of the spacer 86, the costof manufacture of the laundry machine has been minimized.

The electrical circuit for the driving unit 25 includes wires (not shown) which are disposed within'the' hollow bracket and connected with terminals 95 and 96 of a terminal block 97.- The bracket 50 is bulged outw ardly to form a conduit 98. The lower end ofthe conduit 98 terminates above the terminalblock 97 and the upper end merges into an opening 99 adjacent the opening 81 but separated therefrom by a Wall 100. Qpening 99 registers'with an opening 101 in the wall 79'of gear housing 71 and" forms a conduit leading to the interior of the motor frame 7 3. In this manner a conduit is formed from the terminalblock 97 to the interior of the motor frame 73 which is isolated from that portion of the gear hou ing 71 containing the gearing, and from housing 58 and compartment 68. "The wires 108 and 104.- forthe wringer driving unit 25 extend through this conduit, and are connected to the terminals 95 and 96, and with the motor in a suitable manner. The wires are isolated so that water and oil is kept'out of contact with the wires.

Wires 105 and 106 for the motor of. unit 2 1 extend through the opening 90 in the frame 26 and thence through opening 101 in gear housing 71 to the. interior of the motor. When it. is desirable to remove the "units 24 01225, the wires to the motor can be disconnectedat a terminal block (not shown) and at terminalblock 97, respectively.

It will be noted that the driving mechanisms for the wringer and thewashing ma chine tub are similar in the following particulars. Eachof these driving mechanisms include a vertically extending frame which supportsthe power driving unit on one side thereof and the work machine on the other side thereof. The work machine, when attached to the frame, cooperates withthe frame to provide a housing for a gear or other motion transmitting member connecting the driving unit with the work ma-, chine. The work machine is removable from the frame and disconnectible from the gear associated with the frame-while the gear, frame and driving unit remain'assembled. Likewise the driving unit is removable from the frame and disconnectible from the gear supported by the frame while the gear, frame tlai and work machine remain assembled. It

of the frame upon which the driving unit is mounted in order that the driving unit may be removed from the frame without requiring the work machine to be disassembled from the frame.

While the form of embodiment of themvention, as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms mightbe adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

lVhat is claimed is as follows:

1. A driving mechanism comprising, in combination, a frame having an aperture through a side wall thereof, a power driving unit attached to said side wall and covering said aperture and having a shaft extending through said aperture, a work machine supported by said frame and cooperating there-- with to provide a gear housing, a gear within said housing and supported by the frame, and a gear on said shaft meshing with said first gear, the power unit and the work machine each being separately and independently removable from the frame, leaving the second gear assembled with the frame.

2. A driving mechanism comprising, in

combination, a frame having an aperture through a. wall thereof, a power driving unit attached to one side of said wall and covering said aperture, a work machine supported on the opposite side-of said wall, gearing connecting said unit and machine including a gear supported by the frame and a transmission member extending through the aperture, said power unit and work machine each being separately and independently removable from the frame, leaving the gear assembled with the frame.

3. A driving mechanism comprising, in combination, a frame having an aperture through a wall thereof, a power driving unit attached to one side of said wall and covering said aperture and having a shaft extending through said aperture, a work machine supported by the frame, a gear supported by the frame, and a gear on the shaft meshing with said first gear, the power unit and the work machine each being separately and independently removable from the frame, leaving the second gear assembled with the frame.

4. A driving mechanism comprising, in combination, a frame having an aperture through a wall thereof, a power driving unit attached to one side of said wall and covering said aperture, and having a shaft extending through said aperture, a work machine supported by the frame, a gear supported by the frame, a rotatable member of the work machine connected with the gear and disconnectible therefrom by the removal of the work, machine from the frame, and a gear on the shaft meshing with said first gear, the power unit and the work machine each beingwseparately and independently ing a motor, a gear reduction gearing connecting the gear with the motor shaft, and a housin for the reduction gearing, said housing eing detachably connected with frame and the gearof the unit meshing with the first gear when the unit is assembled with the frame.

6. A driving mechanism comprising, in combination, a work machine, a frame sup-- porting the work machine, the latter co-opcrating with the former to provide a gear housing, a gear supported by the frame and located within the gear housing, a rotate able member of the work machine connected with the gear and disconnectible therefrom by the removal of the work machine from the frame; and a power driving unit comprising a housing, a driving shaft within said housing, a second gear carried by the shaft and adapted to be connected with said first gear, said housing being detachably connected with the frame, and the second gear meshin with the first gear whenthe unit is assembled with the frame.

7. A driving mechanism, comprising in combination, a frame providing a gear housing, a motion transmission member movably carried by said frame within said'housing, a work machine removably attached to said frame and having a transmission member connected with said first member and disconnectible therefrom by the removal of said machine, and a power driving unit supported by the frame and connect-ed with said first member, the unit being removable from the frame while said member, frame and ma chine remain assembled.

In testimony whereof I hereto affixed my signature. 

